


Hoof

by yeaka



Category: Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns
Genre: Ficlet, M/M, Mild Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-13
Updated: 2014-01-13
Packaged: 2018-01-08 13:38:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1133279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kana helps Hiro ride a horse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hoof

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I can’t believe I’m writing this... fully aware no one will read it, but as a gamer I suppose I should have some game fics... and I need more Hiro in my life...
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Harvest Moon: Tale of Two Towns or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

Hiro knows what to do; he likes to consider himself at least decently intelligent, and he read the entire book Kana lent him, cover to cover. Still, he hesitates with his foot in the stirrup, quite sure that the horse in front of him is going to bolt at any moment, knocking him back and inevitably making both Ayame and Kana ashamed of him. 

But Kana’s holding the horse’s reins, and, as they always do under his magic touch, it’s perfectly still. Hiro still gulps, hoping Kana won’t notice how badly he’s trembling. He could never live in Bluebell. Large animals are mildly... terrifying. 

“Oh, for heaven’s sakes,” Kana finally sighs, sounding halfway between exasperated and teasing. He grabs a hold of Hiro’s waist from behind, lifting him easily into the air. Hiro squeaks instantly, but his body kicks in and does what it has to—he throws his other leg over the horse. Kana sets him down in the saddle, and Hiro makes a small ‘oof’ing sound.

Maybe this was a bad idea. He looks at his friend with a wavering expression, asking tentatively, “I suppose you don’t have, ah... a smaller horse?”

Kana snorts at him. “No, I don’t have a smaller _pony._ Here, take these.” He hands Hiro the reins, and Hiro holds them like he would the ends of a stethoscope, except that that makes sense to him. 

This whole horse business makes no sense whatsoever, and he’s beginning to wonder why he wanted to do this in the first place. Kana pats his thigh soothingly, and Hiro nearly jumps—oh, yes. _That’s_ why.

Looping one finger into the strap around the horse’s muzzle, Kana takes a step forward, and the horse obediently follows him. Hiro yelps at the movement—it jostles him in the seat. He quickly looks over the side and shoves his shoes through the stirrups, but he doesn’t feel any more secure. Another step, and he’s shaking. Kana has the horse walk over to the shipping box, then stops, looking up. His shoulders drop as he sighs, “Hiro, you’re a doctor for goodness’ sake. If you fall off, it’s not like you can’t fix yourself up.”

That’s a _horrible_ thing to say. Hiro hardly even knows where to start. “I’m not a doctor yet, and if I fall off, Dr. Ayame will be mad at me, and she’s the one that’ll have to fix me, and then you’ll think I’m... I’m...” He trails off, feeling hopeless.

“Adorable?” Kana offers with a small smile. Hiro can feel his cheeks turning to pink, and he looks away. Kana thinks he’s adorable...? (He’s not sure if that’s a good thing or not—cute could go either way...)

“Maybe I should just... uhm...”

“No giving up!” Kana insists suddenly, forcing Hiro to look back down at him. “Listen, riding a horse is just like riding a bike—” Hiro very much doubts that “—it’s hard at first, but then it becomes totally natural! And horses are such an enhancement to life, Hiro; you can’t just go on not knowing the joy of riding one! And how are you ever going to cross the mountain if you’ve got to do it on feet all the time?” Hiro slumps. He has no reason to go to Bluebell, and when Kana gets like this about his horses, he’s difficult to reason with. 

Still, it’s true that Hiro doesn’t like giving up. He was always taught to try, even after failure.

Kana stares at him for a few more seconds, then decides aloud, “Alright, new plan.” Kana lets go of the horse’s muzzle and walks around it, while the horse tosses his head and makes his caramel hair fly. Hiro shies back from it on instinct.

Kana stops at the back of the horse, bends, and leaps up so suddenly that Hiro tenses all over, sure Kana’s going to knock him off. But Kana simply lands right behind him, perfectly balanced, and the horse doesn’t even flinch. Kana sidles up against Hiro’s back, not on the saddle, but still taller. His head hooks over Hiro’s shoulders, and his strong arms reach around Hiro’s lithe body. His calloused fingers land over Hiro’s frail ones, taking hold of the reins. Hiro’s heart is beating very, very fast.

He can feel all of _Kana_ behind him, even through both their clothes, the strong chest, the faint six-pack, the warmth. It makes him shudder. Kana’s thighs are around him, and when Kana guides the horse around, his crotch brushes against Hiro’s behind. 

Hiro bites his lip and doesn’t say anything. The horse comes in a complete circle. It does feel safer like this, with Kana holding him, and Kana asks softly in his ear, “You okay, kiddo?”

Hiro’s not a kid. He hopes Kana doesn’t see him that way. (Is that what ‘adorable’ meant? Not handsome, like Kana...) Hiro nods and thinks he should’ve probably invited Kana over to cook instead. But then... this is sort of nice... if scary and embarrassing... at least Kana can’t see his blush. 

Kana waves the reins, and suddenly the horse _bolts_. It gallops wildly towards the mountain path, and Kana leans over him, body flattening into Hiro’s back, his happy laugh loud in Hiro’s pounding ears. Hiro’s too terrified to make a sound. The way the horse makes him bounce up and down against Kana is _so_ distracting. It forces Kana to rub against him. Kana’s tanned skin looks so good against all his pale whites, and he can feel Kana’s bangs brushing against the side of his face, whipped back in the wind. The scenery blurring past them is nauseating, the touching is maddening, and Hiro closes his eyes, pressing back into Kana’s grip and praying that Kana’s _got_ him. 

The horse jerks to an abrupt stop, and Hiro’s thrown forward. Kana’s arm is suddenly there, wrapped around his middle, stopping him from toppling over. Hiro lets go of the reins and clings to it. The horse bucks up lightly, making Hiro bounce again, and Hiro moans shamefully.

Kana presses a kiss to the back of his ear and murmurs, “See, that wasn’t so bad.”

Hiro’s head jerks over his shoulder, staring at Kana hard. But Kana just looks kind and reassuring, and his hand rubs over Hiro’s stomach like petting the belly of a horse. (But that _was_ a kiss he felt, right?)

Hiro mumbles, cheeks burning, “Take me home?” Even though he doesn’t want to go home, not really. But he better before he does something he’ll very much regret. Or before Kana notices.

Kana asks, “Can I take you home on the pony?”

It occurs to Hiro that it might be difficult to walk after, and he doesn’t want to walk far in public, so he nods and mumbles, “Okay.” He would like that.

There’s a moment’s pause where Hiro tenses, sure the horse is about to take off again. Instead, Kana asks quietly, with a hint of worry in his voice, “Hiro, I... I don’t want to put you in any positions where you’re uncomfortable.”

Hiro looks over his shoulder, meeting Kana’s serious face. He says, “I’m not uncomfortable.” He’s _too_ comfortable. Then he adds, “Thank you for helping me conquer my fear.” And he smiles weakly.

Kana smiles back. 

Kana nuzzles his nose into the side of Hiro’s face like a horse, and Hiro laughs. He likes Kana much better silly than worried. 

He settles back down, and the horse sets into motion, Hiro sinking too-happily into Kana’s arms.


End file.
